Christmas Angels
by drovers-sunrise
Summary: A bit of a different twist on Christmas at Drovers. This was written quite a while ago when it was assumed that Nick was dead


_So sorry for not posting updates of any of my fics! I know a lot of you are hanging out for them. To make up for it, I am putting up a few one-parters. Now, this fic was written a longgggg time ago. Excuse any mistakes.  
_

_forever-now[dotnet[dotau/aussiefanfic - lots of my fics over there also._

**Disclaimer:** The characters in this fic belong to channel 9 and McLeod's Daughters

**Christmas Angels**

Alex sat with Charlotte on his lap and admired the beautiful Christmas tree that shone brightly throughout the room. Remembering the look on Charlotte's face as the tree lit up for the first time, he smiled. This is what it was all about, Alex thought to himself. The look on Charlotte's face made everything worth while.

Watching the lights flash, Alex realized how lucky he was. He had a wife that he adored, a sister-in-law and niece that he loved to bits, and of course he had Charlotte…the most precious thing in his life.

The three year old had sealed the hole left in Alex's heart by her mother. Every day spent with Charlotte had taught Alex to love again—to open his heart again. Without the love of that little girl, Alex knew that he would be a miserable old coot who hated the world and life. Thank god for Charlotte, he whispered as he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

Charlotte looked up at him, eyes sparkling like the Christmas lights, "Can we put some bickies out for Santa, Uncle Alex?"

Alex smiled down at her, "I reckon Aunty Jodes has already thought of that, precious. Why don't you scoot into the kitchen and see if she's got a plate ready for him?"

Charlotte laughed and rushed into the kitchen. The young girl was so excited, but what kid wasn't on Christmas Eve? Kids all around the country were busting to open their gifts just like Charlotte. Kids had the better deal; Alex knew that…they didn't have a care in the world. He wondered if he could keep it that way for Charlotte. He never wanted to see her with a broken heart—not after going through such pain himself.

Alone in the lounge room, Alex was startled by the figure that had appeared by the Christmas tree. She'd come out of nowhere. Every thought vanished from Alex's mind as he stared at the woman gazing at the Christmas tree.

"That's a nice looking tree you have there," She brought her attention away from the tree and turned to Alex, "You and BOM did a great job, Alex."

"Claire?" Alex whispered as shock took over his entire body. It couldn't be her. She was gone. Alex had felt the intense pain of losing her. It just couldn't be her.

She smiled as light from the Christmas tree bounced and wrapped around her. She stood illuminated in golden light, "Sorry if I scared you."

He shook his head as he stood up. He inched towards her, wanting to touch her. He stopped. She was shaking her head. An unspoken message passed between the two of them. Alex didn't take anymore steps to reach Claire.

"Why are you here, Claire?" The question that Claire had been waiting for had finally escaped Alex's lips.

"To thank you," she whispered, "For looking after little BOM and Tess… to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Alex questioned. He didn't understand.

"I've been here, Alex," whispered Claire, "I've seen everything…bit like Santa I spose," she joked. "I've been here too long though, Alex…it's time for me to go now," she saw a flicker of anguish in Alex's eyes. He'd only just found her and now she was leaving him again.

"Claire-"

"I've seen Nick you know"

A sad grin spread across Alex's face. The thought of his brother and Claire chewing the fat up in heaven gave him one of the greatest feelings in the world.

"Tess misses him like crazy," Alex whispered, thinking about his fragile sister-in-law. She'd given birth only a month ago and was still struggling with the loss of Nick.

"He's been with her…we both have…"

"She's been waiting for some kind of sign, Claire"

Claire laughed, "That's our Tess, isn't it? She'll get her sign Alex, don't you worry."

Silence fell over the pair as they gazed into each others eyes. It had felt like a lifetime since Claire's accident, but at the same time it felt like yesterday. In an instant the pain came flooding back to Alex. He remembered finding her at the bottom of the cliff, remembered how his heart had crumbled into oblivion.

"You need to let me go now, Alex," Claire broke the silence, "Stevie has some news for you."

Alex looked at her, confusing crossing his face.

"I'm not asking you to forget…" whispered Claire—she could never ask him to forget, "But I need to leave you now…I need to leave you for good."

She began to walk towards the door. In a panic Alex called out, "wait, Claire."

Claire stopped, turned. She could feel his distress at losing her again.

"Screw the rules," She said to herself. She'd gone by the rules for the last two years—she hadn't spoken to Alex or Tess, hadn't let them know she was even there…and now that she was with Alex she wasn't going to just leave like this. She didn't give a damn what the rules were anymore—she was saying goodbye to him anyway so what the hell did it matter?

Standing in front of the man she loved, Claire placed a hand to his cheek and kissed him with passion that he'd never seen before. It was an amazing feeling just having her near him again.

Pulling away, Claire's hand fell to his shoulder, "You've got a great life in front of you, Alex… keep being happy," she whispered as she faded away.

--------------------

Tess watched her daughter's chest rise and fall as she slept. The newborn looked so peaceful. Tess loved to watch her baby sleep. She often saw little pieces of Nick in the her face which sent welcome waves of calm over her. But with those waves of calm, came the feeling of sadness. Knowing that Nick wasn't around to share the joy of being a parent…that he would never be around to watch their baby grow up, it killed Tess inside. Their daughter would never know her father. She would never know the kind of person that he was. Of course Tess would do her best by telling stories about Nick, and showing their little girl pictures of him…but it wasn't the same. She needed her father. It hurt Tess knowing that she couldn't give her daughter the one thing she needed most in the world.

A warm feeling embraced Tess and she turned to see Nick leaning over the cot beside her, "She's beautiful, Tess."

"I didn't think you would come," Tess whispered. She'd been waiting for some sort of sign, an appearance from Nick…anything that would let her know that he was watching from a distance.

"I was always going to come and say my goodbyes, Tess"

Tess shook her head, "You can't leave again."

"I have to, Tess…" Whispered Nick. He hated hurting her, but her happiness in life depended on it. He wanted his wife to be happy, and she wouldn't be able to do that if she refused to let him go.

"Listen," Nick began, "This isn't it for you, Tess…you're not going to be miserable forever."

"I feel like my heart will never stop aching, Nick"

"It will," Nick told her gently, "You know Dave's a good bloke…he'll be good for you and Lucy."

Tess stared at Nick, unable to comprehend what he was telling her.

"Let yourself love again, Tess…Don't hold back because of me. I want you to be happy."

"I can't," She told him as tears began to spill down her cheeks.

"You can. It'll be hard and it will hurt, but you can love again. You'll be able to laugh again too…That beautiful smile of yours will twinkle like the stars. Tess, Dave will help you do all that again."

Tess was silent as the tears continued to fall. She couldn't even think about loving again. Her heart still ached for Nick. She wanted to believe that she'd be happy again…that Dave could pull her out of the darkness…but she couldn't. How could she ever be happy again?

Nick reached down and ran a hand over his daughters sleeping figure, "You'll all be very happy together, you'll see."

Nick turned to Tess as she sobbed softly, "You be happy beautiful. Promise me."

"I promise," Tess cried as her husband took her into his arms for the very last time before fading away.

---------------------

Stevie stared down at the pregnancy test, unsure of how to react. It was positive. She was pregnant. It was a wonderful thing for Stevie, but she was worried about Alex's reaction to the news.

"Congratulations Stevie," a voice came from behind.

Stevie jumped and turned, "Claire?"

"I don't know what you're worried about, Alex is gonna be ecstatic," Claire grinned at her best friend.

"We haven't been married all that long, Claire…"

Claire laughed, "So what? That won't matter to Alex! He's going to be a great dad! Just look at how great he is with BOM and Lucy."

Stevie smiled, realizing Claire was talking sense, "As always, you're right McLeod."

"Of course I am!" Retorted Claire with a laugh, "Now go and tell him the happy news before you explode from the excitement of it all!"

Stevie laughed and dashed towards the door. Suddenly she stopped and turned back to Claire, "Claire…thank you…"

"What are mates for?" And with that Claire was gone.

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Stevie ran through the door at Drovers and barreled into Alex. Catching her breath, she looked up at him with a goofy grin.

"I was just coming to find you," Alex said softly, as his hand came to rest around her figure.

"Alex," She smiled, then blurted it out, "I'm pregnant."

A smile immediately found its way to Alex's lips as he picked his wife up and spun her around. His laughter mixed with hers echoed through the house.

Stevie's feet reached the ground and Alex's arms wrapped around her, "I couldn't ask for a better Christmas present, Steves."

She smiled, resting against his chest, "I love you."

"I love you too, Steves…so much."

-------------------

It was half an hour later when Dave wandered into the nursery and found Tess in the rocking chair with Lucy. Tess sang softly to the baby, trying to settle her.

She stopped and looked up at him.

"Hey mother hen," He smiled.

"Hope you don't mind me popping in? Santa delivered this to the wrong house," He handed Tess a beautifully wrapped present.

Tess stared down at the gift then glanced up at Dave, "Thank you…But you didn't need to do this, Dave."

Dave smiled and shook his head, "It's those elves I say! Incompetent things they are!"

Dave studied Tess. She seemed a little distant…a little bit lost even.

Moving closer, he bent down, "I'll take her while you open it."

Tess nodded and handed Lucy over. For a moment she just watched as Dave managed to settle her daughter down. The grizzling had stopped almost as soon as Dave had begun to talk to her.

"She really is gorgeous, Tess. She's got your eyes…"

Tess nodded as she unwrapped her present, "I know."

As the wrapping paper fell away Tess found a box of chocolates and a stuffed toy camel. She looked up at Dave, a puzzled look spread across her face.

Dave smiled, "Every girl needs chocolate when they're down in the dumps don't they? And the camel is only there because I couldn't find an Alpaca."

For the first time in months Tess laughed. It was the first time that she'd really let her guard down…let anyone close enough to make her laugh.

Grinning as her soft laughter floated through the room, Dave handed Lucy back, "The world's a better place with your laughter in it, Tess."

Tess nodded. She knew Dave was right. And she knew Nick was right too. Maybe there was light at the end of the tunnel after all.

"I knew you'd be back," He whispered before bending down and placing a soft kiss on her head, "You have a merry Christmas, hey."

"You too, Dave," She whispered as he left the room.

----------

Claire and Nick smiled as the events unfolded before them. Things were going just as they were meant to. Their family was on the road to happiness.

"I think our work here is done," Claire whispered.

She turned to Nick and extended her hand, "It's time we left, Nick."

Nick nodded, placing his hand in Claire's, knowing that it had to be done. They needed to leave.

"They'll all be okay," She whispered as they both faded further and further away from their loved ones.

THE END.


End file.
